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The Red Devils' poor recent struggles persisted at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had Matheus Cunha to thank for his side avoiding even more damage against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a first-period effort against the post for the in-form hosts before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had been held by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without several key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and international duty.

Not that the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a audacious overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.

The draw extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their longest such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

For the visitors though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.

Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Struggle Again

With the Africa Cup of Nations reaching its knockout phase, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.

Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only exacerbated the impact the absence of other attackers is having on the team's options.

It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the season.

But without them, the boss has limited alternatives in attack.

He clearly does not have full faith in youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost immediately after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others playing out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in belief and conviction in front of goal.

Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

After thrilling victories in their last few home games, the arrival of their fiercest rivals to home was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as evident as in other fixtures.

The home fans were more concerned about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any prolonged period.

The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.

It still felt as though the hosts were struggling when a mistake opened the door for the opener.

Ever so briefly, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

However, there is a wider context for the manager and the club to deal with.

When they endured a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many thought about the manager's position.

Instead, he is now masterminding significant progress.

The job is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.

What Happens Next?

Leeds have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a Old Trafford tie.